Chapter 21
ARLENE MARIELLA's POV
I wished it was Stewart's and it's wedding.
"Thank you for bringing me here." genuinely smiled at Sterian while we were walking through his car. "I missed them so much."
"Don't you miss me?" not minding my thanks.
"I missed you." I looked at him.
That's true.
He didn't answer back. Oh, well. That's so showy. He doesn't miss me.
"Okay. Don't do that again," I whispered to myself.
We're silent the whole ride. I do not like it! He's not like this! Is he not in the mood to talk to me? Or, does he just really not want to talk to me?
"What did I do to you, and you're not talking to me?"
He didn't speak.
"What's wrong with you?" I faced him, but he's still focused on driving.
"Rhodge!"
"Fuck! I hate you!"
He didn’t speak until we got home! I'm annoyed, I'm not used to him being so quiet. I don’t know if I did anything wrong to him or what. Hard to dig, hard to predict. Am I always guessing?
I held the door handle, and I'm looking in front of me when he stopped the car in front of our gate.
"If you won't speak, then, don't talk to me forever—" I was about to go out when he spoke.
"I missed you too," he said in a little voice.
Oh great! Just great!
"Really? You answered when I'm already pissed off? You bitch!" I punched his shoulder.
"Psh. Get out now, or I'll bring you into our house again?" he arched his brow.
"I hate you," I shouted and hardly shut his door.
I hurried into the gate, and it closed immediately. Maybe a demon came in, it's hard. I raised my middle finger at him, I know he's looking at me. After I entered the house, I found the housemates cleaning the living room and the kitchen.
"Ma'am Carlene is in the room." one of our housemates pointed out above. I nodded and went straight there.
While walking in the hallway, I remembered what Aunt Fina said to me earlier. I wonder how they met.
I knocked three times on their door before it opened. Mama showed up, in front of me. Smiling sweetly. She hugged me tightly.
"You're home." I felt wetness on my shoulder, and I found out that mom is crying.
"Mom, why are you crying?" I held her both shoulders to face me.
"I just missed you, come, come in. Help me with my things." She pulled me in.
What's wrong, Ma?
When we entered, the clothes scattered on the bed opened up to me, when I looked at their walk-in closet, it was empty. Almost all the clothes are on the bed, other items are scattered on the floor.
"What happened here?" I wonder what the question is.
"I'm just looking for things that can still be used, then I'll throw the rest away. Besides, I'll be packing the clothes at the same time." she let go of my hand and went straight to the bathroom.
I frowned as I sat on the bed, even more, surprised to see a cracked frame on the floor. That was the picture of us together on my seventh birthday.
I immediately stood up when I heard a crack from the bathroom.
"Ma?" she didn't answer so I was so nervous, I ran to the bathroom and was shocked to see that the glass was broken. "Mom! What's wrong with you?" I asked tearfully as I approached him.
"I saw something strange from the mirror so I immediately threw a head shower."She just shook her head and helped her out of the bathroom.
"What did you see, Ma?" I asked her again when she was already in bed.
"I... couldn't tell, sweetie."
"Okay, ma. Stay here, I'll get you some water. Okay?"
She nodded. I sighed and left her there. I go downstairs. I heard someone talking, sorry for eavesdropping bitches.
"They must be fighting, so that's how Ma'am is."
"Oh! Of course. That's how couples always are, can I? I will never marry someone like sir, that's a very bad habit!"
Yeah.
"Did you know? There was a rumor in the company that sir, an employee of a motel, had an affair."
What—
"Really? Seriously, tsk tsk."
"Hmm!" her voice sounded like a proud tone. "It's really bad! I also can't think of a reason why that's ma'am Carlene's husband, she's almost an angel in her beauty and character! Poor Ma'am."
"What a pity, if it was me? I would never give myself up to someone like that, I would rather die than marry someone like him!"
"Come on, we might get caught." when I heard their footsteps moving away I still did not leave my hiding place. I was so mad at Papa, I didn't think he could do that to anyone else after me. If mama found out, and they quarreled, that might be why she's like this now.
When I calmed down, I came out of my hiding place and went straight to the kitchen for water. If mama knows about his personality, and worst. Why did she marry him? Everyone can refuse a thing if you don't want it right? Unless you love him, or that someone blackmailed you.
I immediately headed to their room to get water. I handed it to mama and helped her drink and calm herself. There were dark circles under her eyes, her eyes were still red because of crying.
"Thanks," she said afterward. She leaned on my shoulder.
There was silence throughout their room. We could only hear breathing.
"Ma? How did you and Papa meet?" my word.
"His Mama and I were business partners until now. They're the ones who arranged our marriage. He... got in an accident before I met him, well, that's what he said."
It is true.
"I loved him. He's the best man for me," she said, and silence filled their room again.
Being a rapist is the best man, by now?
"Mom? Are you aware of your surroundings?"
She sighed. "I'm not aware, every day. I'm blind, sometimes."
"Mom? When you're in the moment of marrying Papa, are you sure about that?"
"Of course, I am!" she chuckled, but I didn't.
"Why is he the best man for you?"
"Because he took care of me. He loves me." she simply said.
It was different from what I heard on Auntie Fina.
"Do you have any regrets?"
"I do."
"What is it?"
"Marrying him."
"What? Why?"
"Because I'm not sure if I still love him."
"If that's the case, then, do you regret having me too?" tears immediately pooled in my eyes. I was stunned, unable to move.
"I don't regret having you. Hija, you're the best blessing I've received. You're my girl who deserves to be free and happily living with us. "
"Ma? Why do I have a cruel life?"
Tears dripped down on her cheeks when she looked at me.
"I'm sorry, son." she wiped it for me.
That's when I burst out. I can't control myself anymore. I cried so hard and loud.
"Ma! All I wanted was your love, time, and care. I wanted you to stop working for me, and take care of me. I wanted you to be with me every time of my life. I wanted you to be here, but you chose to be there. Ma, I'm your child, I'm also important, but... "my voice went from page to page. "But, why can't you take care of me better than that company?" I taught myself.
I stand.
"Arlene.."
"Ma... what if I'm gone? Is that company still important to you?" she could not speak. "What if an idiot did something bad to me? Will you fight for me too?"
"Hija..." she cried and tried to reach my hand but I stepped backward.
"Mom? Am I still important?"
"Yes, Arlene. Yes," she said over and over.
"If I'm important, mom, why did you leave me?"
"We haven't forsaken you, hija."
"Yes, no! Not for you, because you're not the one who feels deficient!"
"Arlene, don't be like this ..."
"This is how it should be! This is how it should be because that's the truth! I feel it! Every day, when I wake up in the morning, I'm not like the others whose parents cook breakfast before going in! I'm not like the others, every time I go home there will be a hug and a kiss from the parent and they will be asked how the child's day is! I am not like others who have a difficult life! And even more, I am not like others who have a happy family! Mom, I pray every day I hope we can be happy, the real joy that you can take. Whenever I'm sick, I'm looking for you, take care of me, ma. Just take care of me, but where are you? There in that link company—" stopped feeling a slap from her.
"You don't know how much I've suffered, and have suffered to this day." After that slap, she left me there.
Ouch.